Ion Blaster problem?

[LintMan]

I'm wondering if Spirecraft Ion Blasters are not working correctly, or maybe I'm just misunderstanding how they are supposed to work.

1) When on FRD, the Ion Blasters don't seem to go after enemy ships.  They will fire on ones that enter their range, but they won't move to go after them like other ships on FRD will.  Is this intentional?

2) Ion Blasters seem unable to fire upon anything that they cannot insta-kill (ie: starships, structures, spirecraft, etc).  The description text implies this is intentional, but IIRC they were given a fairly large damage attack so that they would be able to do decent damage to things they couldn't insta-kill.  You might see the problem here, but again, maybe I'm missing something?

See attached save: the Ion blasters don't move to intercept the incoming wave, and are unable to fire on the starship in the wave.

[Wanderer]

Nope, we're on the same page.  I find them as useless for the exact same reasons.  If that wasn't their intent then they're badly fouled up.

[keith.lamothe]

Just giving them decent damage wasn't enough to overcome the prejudice of instakill logic, I'm afraid.  So until I get a chance to fix that they're not performing to spec.

[chemical_art]

that is unfortunate.

So they are still terribad.

[TechSY730]

Just giving them decent damage wasn't enough to overcome the prejudice of instakill logic, I'm afraid.  So until I get a chance to fix that they're not performing to spec.

I don't really think that's a problem. Just like the zombie bot golem cannot shoot stuff that is reclaim immune. It keeps them focused on their use and distinguished from the other high-ish DPS spirecraft, siege towers.

The real problem seems to be their messed up FRD and auto-target logic, and their horrible range. I'm not asking for full planet range like the stationary ions. I'm not even asking for missile frigate range. Just something beyond what they got now. Either that, or give them the durability or radar dampening (radar dampening range > their weapon range of course. No insta killing ships that don't have a chance at shooting back yet) or something to live long enough to kill enough stuff to be worth it with their current range.

EDIT: Oh, and about the FRD thing, http://www.arcengames.com/mantisbt/view.php?id=4477

[Bognor]

2) Ion Blasters seem unable to fire upon anything that they cannot insta-kill (ie: starships, structures, spirecraft, etc).  The description text implies this is intentional, but IIRC they were given a fairly large damage attack so that they would be able to do decent damage to things they couldn't insta-kill.  You might see the problem here, but again, maybe I'm missing something?

Do they fire on fleet ships of higher mark than themselves?  Such ships are not immune to instakill, just can't be instakilled by that particular ion blaster - that's where their actual attack damage is supposed to be useful, if I understand correctly.

[TechSY730]

2) Ion Blasters seem unable to fire upon anything that they cannot insta-kill (ie: starships, structures, spirecraft, etc).  The description text implies this is intentional, but IIRC they were given a fairly large damage attack so that they would be able to do decent damage to things they couldn't insta-kill.  You might see the problem here, but again, maybe I'm missing something?

Do they fire on fleet ships of higher mark than themselves?  Such ships are not immune to instakill, just can't be instakilled by that particular ion blaster - that's where their actual attack damage is supposed to be useful, if I understand correctly.

Yes, they can fire on ships of a higher mark than themselves (provided the target is not totally immune to insta-kill), just like the traditional, stationary ion cannons.
Unlike the stationary ion-cannons, their DPS in that case doesn't suck.